I expected to have no trouble wrapping my head around the new Tecom ChallengerPlus and its new installer software, CTPlus. But the capabilities of Tecom security management solutions and the enormity of its layered ecosystem turned out to be considerably greater than my expectations.
ANY single element of Interlogix’s Tecom security management ecosystem is a complete solution in its own right – this makes trying to synthesise them after an hour-long demo tough. Defining the overarching solution by its functionality isn’t easy, either, because the scope of that functionality is short on limits. Each element interlocks – not only between product groups but in a temporal sense – and this backwards-compatibility adds another dimension.
Unlike other systems, a majority of the older Tecom panels can be entirely reinvigorated by firmware upgrades (and a spot of hardware) to offer the latest features and functions, including modern software management, IP reporting, and troubleshooting via the UltraSync cloud and the TecomPlus app. It’s like this because Interlogix’s latest software solutions are not dependent on installing the latest hardware – instead they are built to work with any Tecom hardware you happen to have around your organisation.
On the management side are TecomC4, CTPlus for configuration, and the TecomPlus Mobile App – these solutions can overlap in some applications. On the network side, there’s UltraSync. And when it comes to hardware, the ecosystem includes Tecom ChallengerPlus, Network Access Controller, older controllers, including V10 and V8, and a range of expansion modules. How you mix and match these components is up to you and the needs of your client.
In terms of getting your head around the management side of Tecom, it makes sense to think of TecomC4 as being a PSIM-like management system that brings any collection of sub-systems together in an open environment. How open? If you have a sub-system you want to incorporate into a TecomC4 solution you use the open SDK to create a new driver. If you don’t have the expertise, you can ask Interlogix to help but chances are another customer has created the driver and it has been incorporated already.
First impressions? I like Tecom ChallengerPlus, which delivers ‘a building on a board’ capability without needing expansion modules and backs that hardware (and Network Access Controller hardware, too) with solid software solutions that offer plenty of potential for evolution, a secure cloud path and are downloadable free. It’s a strong new release from Interlogix.
Don’t miss the full review in SEN’s December issue!
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